Kutadanta, Kūṭadanta, Kūtadanta: 4 definitions

Introduction:

Kutadanta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Kutadanta in Purana glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Skanda-purana

Kūṭadanta (कूटदन्त, “broken tusk”) refers to one of the fifty-six vināyakas located at Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), and forms part of a sacred pilgrimage (yātrā), described in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Skanda-purāṇa 4.2.57). He is also known as Kūṭadantavināyaka, Kūṭadantagaṇeśa and Kūṭadantavighneśa. These fifty-six vināyakas are positioned at the eight cardinal points in seven concentric circles (8x7). They center around a deity named Ḍhuṇḍhirāja (or Ḍhuṇḍhi-vināyaka) positioned near the Viśvanātha temple, which lies at the heart of Kāśī, near the Gaṅges. This arrangement symbolises the interconnecting relationship of the macrocosmos, the mesocosmos and the microcosmos.

Kūṭadanta is positioned in the Southern corner of the second circle of the kāśī-maṇḍala. According to Rana Singh (source), his shrine is located at “Kringakunda, Kinaram Ashram, B 3 / 335”. Worshippers of Kūṭadanta will benefit from his quality, which is defined as “assisting the Durga”. His coordinates are: Lat. 25.17750, Lon. 83.00200 (or, 25°10'39.0"N, 83°00'07.2"E) (Google maps)

Kūṭadanta, and the other vināyakas, are described in the Skandapurāṇa (the largest of the eighteen mahāpurāṇas). This book narrates the details and legends surrounding numerous holy pilgrimages (tīrtha-māhātmya) throughout India. It is composed of over 81,000 metrical verses with the core text dating from the before the 4th-century CE.

Purana book cover
context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

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In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

Kutadanta Kutadanta

A very learned brahmin of Khanumata, which village had been given to him by King Bimbisara as a brahmadeyya. The Buddha arrived at Khanumata when Kutadanta was making preparations for a great sacrifice and, wishing this sacrifice to be successful, he consulted the Buddha on the holding of sacrifices. The Buddha preached to him the Kutadanta Sutta. At the end of the discourse he became a Sotapanna (D.i.127ff).

The conversion of Kutadanta is considered one of the great spiritual victories won by the Buddha (E.g., J.vi.329). As a disputant, Kutadanta is classed with Ambatthaka, Sonadanda and Saccaka. E.g., MA.ii.697.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

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Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Kutadanta in Mahayana glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Kūṭadanta (कूटदन्त) is the name of a Brāhmin householder of olden times subdued by the Buddha mentioned in order to demonstrate the fearlessness of the Buddha according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XL.1.4. Accordingly, “Brāhmin householders (gṛhsatha), having gone through all the worldly sciences and respected by great kings such as Kieou-lo-t’an-t’o (Kūṭadanta), etc., all became his disciples. Some obtained the first fruit of the Path; others the second, third or fourth fruits”.

Kūṭadanta, another learned brāhmin dwelling at Khānumata in Magadha, was a feudatory of king Bimbisāra. The Buddha, passing through that area, was interrogated by the brāhmin on the way of correctly carrying out “the sacrifice with its threefold methods and its sixteen accessory instruments” (tividhayaññasaṃpadaṃ soḷasaparikkhāraṃ). The Teacher preached the Kūṭadantasutta (Dīgha, I, p.127–149) for him and, at the end of the sermon, Kūṭadanta obtained the fruit of srotaāpanna.

Mahayana book cover
context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Kutadanta in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kūṭadanta (कूटदन्त):—[=kūṭa-danta] [from kūṭa] mfn. having prominent teeth, [Hir.]

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

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